Mother of All Wars: The Battle to Breastfeed in Uniform

[accadacca]

This breast feeding thing has really exploded after the Time cover... http://www.bogley.com/forum/showthread.php?t=63147

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Weapons of mass distraction: Air Force Sgt. Terran Echegoyen McCabe and Staff Sgt. Christina Luna feed their babies in uniform. Brynja Sigurdardottir

There's the war on women, and there's the war on breastfeeding. Then there's the war on breastfeeding women warriors. That latter struggle broke out earlier this week, when the interwebs discovered a staged photo of two uniformed female Air Force service members offering up camouflage-clad mammaries for their hungry babes. Sgt. Terran Echegoyen McCabe and Staff Sgt. Christina Luna, pictured above, sat for the photo shoot in order to garner attention for Mom2Mom, a network for service-connected mothers at Fairchild Air Force Base outside Spokane, Washington.

It certainly got attention. "A lot of people are saying it's a disgrace to the uniform," Crystal Scott, the founder of Mom2Mom, told NBC this week. "They're comparing it to urinating and defecating [while in uniform]." Now, a viral debate's busted out over the propriety of Uncle Sam's finest nursing while dressed for battle.

The funny thing is, the military takes a relatively progressive attitude toward service members breastfeeding. Each branch of service allows lactating mothers to defer overseas deployments by 4 to 12 months. And the Air Force even mandated regular break periods and safe spaces for women to breastfeed or pump while on duty, two years before Obamacare required all employers to observe similar provisions.

But this isn't about the service's breastfeeding policy, right? It's about disrespecting America! "So this is the modern military...No apparent sense of military bearing, personal restraint, or consideration for the uniform is required," Army veteran Rob McCaskell complained on the photographer's Facebook page. "You wanted attention....congratulations on a mission accomplished and further showing how the military is so easily exploited to further a social or political agenda."

To "nasty civilians", accustomed to seeing nursing moms in parks and malls, this all might sound patently absurd. But there's a time-honored tradition of completely arbitrary constraints on service members' behavior while clothed in their work garb. Making out and chewing gum in uniform have long been no-nos. There's the injunction on hands in pockets, the suggested rule against carrying umbrellas that aren't black, and the bans on walking and smoking, walking and eating, walking and talking on a cellphone (probably a good rule of thumb for anyone). There's even a Navy regulation forbidding sailors to pump gas in a work uniform

[Deathcricket]

Interesting, I never even considered that. So a mother with twins can feed them both at the same time? I just assumed she fed each one at separate times in the optimal "side" position with both hands cradling the baby. I never knew you could get both of them next to each other dual style like that with one hand each. Learn something new everyday. I wonder if twins have a preference on which boob they like? For instance perhaps they get better suction on on side.

[Byron]

Me too, DC. I never knew she could do both at the same time...the women around here must think we're morons!

I don't think the whole public breastfeeding thing is a big deal. Not with me and most people in general...the media needs something to do, right? Anyone who would call it "disgusting" is a fool. Hopefully the numbers of those are a minority. I think it's awesome. Boobs are wonderful, a gal with a great set can turn them into a million dollars. The latest booby princess being Kate Upton...oopps, I'm getting off track, kinda.

[Felicia]

...the women around here must think we're morons!

LOL - yup!

[Byron]

LOL - yup!

I knew that was coming...I never did become a dad, so I get a pass, right?

[denaliguide]

Boobs are wonderful, a gal with a great set can turn them into a million dollars.

Boobs are wonderful, a gal with a million dollars can turn them into a great set.

fixed that for ya. no thanks required.